Box construction



F- W. FREY BoxoNsTRUcTION MaY-IZ; 1942.

Original Filed Sept. 2l, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 12, 1942.

F. W. FREY BOX CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-'Sheet 2 Original Filed Sept. 21, 1933 All-111| Z457, wo/m- Patented May 12, 1942 l UNITED STATES .PATENT OFFICE Box coNsTnUorioN Frank W. Frey, Chicago, Ill., assigner of one-half to Bertram Wm. Coltman, Kenilworth, Ill.

Reiled for abandoned application Serial No.

690.393, filed September 21, 1933. This application January 5, 1940, Serial No. 312,545

Claims. (Cl. 217-5) My invention relates to the construction of boxes. More particularly, my invention has reference to a box having its parts secured together by reinforcing means having for its general purpose not only the fastening of the parts together into a substantially rigid unit but also the preventing of buckling or warping and the use of lighter material without sacrifice of strength.

Briefly, my invention distinguishes from the prior art by an extremely simple and strong construction. It is commonly known that boxes having their parts secured together by nails or the like are of short life. The nails loosen and drop out of place and the parts shrink when not firmly secured together. If the boxes are to be used, say for the cartage of beverages where there is a return of the boxes with the empty bottles to the dispenser, cooperage warehouses must be maintained at great expense. Each time them under ordinary conditions, causes parts to be broken or split which must be renewed frequently. The maintenance expense of such boxes is relatively great and, therefore, their present construction has proved generally unsatisfactory.

Primarily, the object of my invention is to obviate the disadvantages and includes the provision of an improved form of box construction which is light and inexpensive. A further object is to provide the parts of the box of the same thickness Without a sacrifice of strength and thereby eliminate the necessity of furnishing heavier end members. Another object of the invention is the provision of a novel form of reinforcing strip embracing the adjoining edges of the box parts, preferably at the ends of the box, and secured thereto to provide a neat, simple and rigid interlocking vaction between the parts. A further feature of the invention resides in the manner in which the reinforcing strip is secured to the parts of the box so as to obviate their buckling or shrinking and assure that the reinforcing strip is driven into position without wrinkling and without taking hold rmly.

The following advantages are the result of the invention:

(a) Elimination ofnails, screws and rivets;

(b) Less lumber and lighter box;

(c) Assembly costs simplified and cheapened;

(d) Greater strength and longer life;

1 terlocking strip shown infFig. 5 to show the re1-v (e) All parts of the box are of same thickness and the prevention of irregular projections by eliminating buckling or shrinkage;

(g) Protection to the edges by the embracing relation of the reinforcing strip; and

(h) Detachable connections between the various parts of the box to permit complete dismantling for shipping purposes or replacement of one or more parts.

In order to apprise those skilled in the art how to practice my invention', I shall now describe l several embodiments thereof when taken in con- Fig. 4 is a similar detail view taken on line ll--iil of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the interlocking strip-say the strip employed intermediate the ends of the box, to show the angle at which the edges are cut to form the prongs; j

Fig. 6 is a detail View of one side of the inative position of the prongs along both edges `after Vdriven into position;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail viewV illustrating the slight curvature of the tips of the prongs;

Fig. 8 is a similar view to illustrate the mannerY in Which the prongs enter the box members at an angle by virtue of the tip curvature;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view similar to that shown in Fig. 1 illustrating another embodiment of the invention, this being the preferred embodiment;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail view of one of the corners of the box shown in Fig. 9 to illustrate in detail the detachable interlocking lengagement employed between the adjoining edges of.

of the box shown in Fig. 11, illustrating a detachable connection between these parts; and

Fig. 13 is a detail View illustrating the parts that form the connection.

It will be understood at theroutset that the invention need not be limited to any particular type of box construction inasmuch as the invention may be applied to various forms of boxes and containers.

For purposes of illustration, however, I have shown in Fig. 1 a box comprising side members 2 and 3, end members 4 and 5, and a bottomV Y member 6, made of any suitable penetrable mate:

rial, such as, for example, wood position, or the like.

, fibrouscom- To secure these members together, a reinforcing strip designated generally aslmay be pro-- perpendicular to the face of the box members. The angle of entry for the upper prongs I3 is, as explained heretofore in an upward direction, while the angle of entry of the lower prongs I4 is in a lower direction. This opposed relation between the angles of entry of the upper and lower prongs has a two-fold advantage. The first advantage is that in driving the prongs into position, any tendency of thestrips to viiatten out is overcome. Inthis connection, it has been found that if all the prongs are in the same direction, there is a tendency for the prongs to bend at their juncture with the strip. The second advantage resides in the firmer gripping action of theprongsyproviding, in effect, an opposed interlocking vaction between the prongs and the wood. A greater gripping action may be obtained vided along the corner or adjoining edgesof they side members 2 and 3 and the end members 4 and 5, a similar reinforcing strip being provided to embrace the end edges of the bottom member 6 so as to protect them against wear if so desired,`

while .any number 'of similar reinforcing stripsl may be provided intermediate the ends of the box. Reinforcing strip 'I isl preferably formed of metal, although any other suitable type of material may be used. It may be shaped to embracethe corner or adjoining edges 84 and 9 so as to protect these corners and allow prongs formed along its sides to pierce the box members and be anchored therein. These prongs are preferably divided into two groups, the upper portion I3 and the lower portion I4.

To effect a substantially firm grip in the fibre of say the wood out of `which the box members maybe made, the prongs I3 and I4 may be cut at an angle, as illustrated at I5, in Fig. 5, so as to enter the fibre at an angle to the axis of its grain and so as to prevent slippage of the prongs and secure a firmer anchorageinfthe wood.

In. forming the prongs, the sides of the strip I are cut inwardly to form the slanting edges I6 and the prongs are thereafter bent along the lines I5 which, it will be noted,` are at right angles to the edges IB, to give such prongs a slightly tilted position with respect to the strip 1 itself. The tips' I9 of the prongs I3 and I4 fare curved slightly, it being noted in Fig. 2 that thistip curvature of the upper and lower prongs extend in'opposite directions whereby tov cause the prongs of each group to enter the Wood inopposite direc tions. I Y

Strip I at each end of the box may be applied to the edges in a number of different ways. For example, each strip 'I maybe provided as indivvidual strips II and I2 for the corners or ad` joining edges 8 and 9, respectively. 'Ihen the edge I0 of bottom member Grmay Abe embraced by a strip I8 formed separately from the vertical side strips I I and I2, this being shown in Fig. .11, and will be described more Ain detail later on. It will be apparent that many arrangements are possible for the application of the reinforcing stripl lto the corners or edges of theY box.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the strip I8 along the edge of bottom member 6 is integral with the vertical strips II and I2. Irrespective of the arrangement employed, vertical strips II and I2 Yare .preferably -for-med as angle members to embrace the corners or adjoining edges 8 and 9. The vertical edges-ofreinforcing strips II and I2'are each providedwiththe-prongs I3.and I4 formed preferably in the manner-above described. The slightly curvedftips I9of the prongs compel the prongs to-enter-"at an angle i placement 'of these strips;

' tion, but it has been found that mitering thei' Fig. 3.

because the prongs are rmly anchored and capable of resisting opposing forces tending to dislodge or cause the box members to be displaced. I have further found that the prongs entering the'wood in angular directions, as described, tend very effectively tol prevent warping or'shrinking ofthe b'ox members, and so strengthens the edges of these box members that they are less liable to be cracked or' split during the life of the box.

The fact that the reinforcing strips may be applied evenly against the face'surfaces of the box members without wrinkling or flattening out, eliminates undesirable projections from the box edges. A clean smooth edge is presented, accordingly, along the edges ofeach end of the box, which aids in the easy handling of the box during stacking and prevents objects from catching hold of theV edges of the strips 1 and causing dis- The material of the box members 2 to Ii, inclusive, may be of wood o'r otherkind suitable for the use to which rthe box is intended to be put. Moreover, these parts maybe of any construccorners, as indicated at 2l, will form la very substantial unit when the parts'are assembled and provided with these reinforcing strips. Such mitering of vlthecorners of the parts will be noted in In Figs. 2 and 3, the fashion in which the upper and lower prongs I3 and' I4 grip the corners of the adjoining members'will be noted. The prongs enter the penetrable material of the members, and being preferably provided longer than the thickness of th'ematerial, their tipsare turned over to lie 'flu'shwith the inside faces. A hooklike tip is thereby provided, which tends to increase the anchoring action of each prong. Again, it Will be noted that the prongs enteringv the side members 2 and 3 of the box are at right angle positions with respect to the prongs entering the end members 4and 5. Any force tending to displace the end members 4 and 5`will be 23. -Each lip-is pro-vided with a prong 24,*which pierces the inside of their respectivemembers to hold the lips 22 and-23'securely-imposition. Furthermore, these lips '22 and23 present a very neat, finishedcorner alongthe'upper edge of the box parts and protects these corners or edges against undue wear.

The individual reinforcing strip 20, whether iny t'egral with the strips Il and l2 or made separately, preferably embraces the edge I ofthe bottom member. See Fig. 4. I i'lnd that it is this edge l0 of the bottom member 6 that experiences considerable wear and needs protection, while the lower edge of the end members 4 and 5 does not require protection.` Strip 20 is accordingly in the form of a channel, the bottom leg 26 of which is slightly longer than the top leg 21, this being provided so that their prongs will enterV the bottom member in offset relation so as not toY interfere with each other. The bottom leg is preferably the longer leg so that it will prevent the tips of the prongs entering downwardly from projecting through the bottom member 6. Y

In assembling the various box parts 2 to 6, inclusive, the reinforcing strips are rst applied to side members 2 and 3 and to the bottom member 6. Y The end members 4 and 5 with their vertical side edges beveled are then placed in position against the vertical end edges of the side members 2 and 3. The vertical end edges of the end members 4 and 5 are also beveled to form with the beveled vertical side edges of end members 4 and 5 the mitered joint shown in Fig. 3. Thereafter, the reinforcing strips 'I are bent into position against the end members 4 and 5 and the prongs thereof are pressed into said end members.

To reinforce the center of the box, I have shown a reinforcing strip 30 that extends about the outside of the box, each end thereof being provided with a lip 3l which extends over the top edge of the side members 2 and 3 and downwardly within and against the inside faces, there being prongs 32 which also pierce the side members 2 and 3 to hold these lips 32 in position. The edges of the reinforcing strip 30 are also provided with prongs formed in a slightly different manner than those heretofore described. Prongs 33 along the left-hand edge of strip 36, as shown in Fig. 1, are cut so that they angularly extend upwardly when driven into position, while the prongs 34 along the edge on the'right-hand side are cut.

so that they angularly extend downwardly, these prongs 33 and 34 preferably being arranged in staggered relation to effect a very secure interlocking action, this being shown in detail in Fig. 5.

Another preferred form of the invention is shown in Figs. 9 to 13, inclusive. I have found it advisable to be able to replace certain parts of the box in the event they are broken, and also to facilitate shipment thereof.

In Fig. 9, there is specically shown a construction of box in which the end members 4 and 5 only are removable.

A construction in which all the members of the box are removable is shown in Fig. 11.

Referring particularlyA to Fig. 9, the reinforcing strip 1 is likewise divided into individual vertical strips and 4|, these strips preferably being applied to the ends of the side members 2 and 3; that is to say, one of the vertical edges only of these strips is provided with prongs of the same construction heretofore described, which prongs are anchored in the side members 2 and v3. The end members 4 and 5 are also provided with reinforcing strips 42 and 43, having one of their vertical edges only provided with prongs, the same as in the case of the reinforcing strips 40 and"4|.k '.Ihe prongs of strips 42 and 43 en` ter the end members 4 and 5. The free edges of the strips 40 and 42 and the" strips 4I and 43 are preferably formed into interlocking flanges 45 and 46, adapted to fit into each other in slidable relation so that the end members 4 and 5 of the box may be removed at will. v

By referring particularly to Fig. l0 showing an enlarged detail View of the strips 40 and 42, Vit will be observed that their respective flanges 45 and 46 are formed to interlock with each other, while the end member is adapted to have its edge cut away, as indicated at 41, so as to permit these flanges to be recessed in the cutaway portion 41. Accordingly, the flanges are preferably flush with the outer face of the end member 4.

In Fig. 11 the side members 2 and 3, end members 4 and 5, and the bottom member 6 may be readily dismantled for shipping purposes, or for replacement.l The end members 4 and 5, vand their reinforcing strips 42 and 43, together with the reinforcing strips 40 and 4I of the side members 2 and 3, are of 'substantially the same` construction as shown in Fig. 9. However,in this form, the reinforcing strips 56- embracing the edges of the bottom members 6 have their lower leg 48 of the channel, of which they are formed so as to embrace these end edges of the bottom member 6, extend laterally outwardly and up'- wardly in the form of a lip 49 provided with an r aperture 50. The lower ends of the vertical reinforcing strips 40 and 4| applied to the end edges of the side members 2 and 3 are formed with a downwardly extending lip 5l provided with a kpair. of parallel spaced ears 52, this being shown in detail in Fig. 13.

In the assembly of the side members 2 and k3 to the bottom member, the ears 52 are passed through aperture 50 and bentlaterally outwardly, as shown in Fig.A 12. The same form of detachable connection may be provided for reinforcing strips 53 passing about the box intermediatethe ends. It will be remembered that the removable interlocking flanges 45 and 46 on the end reinforcing strips 40 to 42, inclusive, provide a very secure fastening forthe end members v4 and 5, and, after the side members 2 and 3 are secured to the bottom member 6, the insertion of the end members 4 and 5 results in a very rigid and strong box. When the end mem-V bers 4 and 5 are in position, it is impossible for the box to collapse. Removal of theseend members 4 and 5 will allow the side members 2 and 3 to be readily detached from the bottom member. A construction is provided which may be readily dismantled to facilitate shipping thereof.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully explain the gist of my invention that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adopt -the same for use under varying conditions of service, without eliminating certain features, which may properly be said to constitute the essential items of novelty involved, which items are intended to be defined and secured to me by the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a box constructed of penetrable material, the combination of side members, end members, and a bottom member, a reinforcing strip at each end of the box bent to embrace the vertical adjoining edges between the side members and the end members and to extend integrally across and embrace the edge of the bottom member in face contact with the upper and lower faces thereof, and prongs projecting from each reinforcing 'strip for' entering the penetrable. ma; terialof, said members ,whereby tointerlock said members into a rigid unitand protect their edges against, Wear.;

2.- Iiiaboxonstructed-of penetrable material, the combinationjofside members, end members, and a bottom member, reinforcingstripsfor holding said members in position, and; prongs onsaid reinforeing strips adapted to enter thev pene-` trable material of said members, said; prongs being bent to enter the penetrable materialof each member atdifferent anglesL to provide an interlocking grip resisting displacement ofeach member.

3.4In, a box constructedof penetrable, mate-v rial, the combinationof side members, end members, and a bottom member, reinforcing strips for holdingsaidmembers in position, and prongs onsaidreinforing strips adapted to enterthe penetrable material of said members, the angle of entry of the prongs forv eachmember being arranged in opposing relation whereby to provide. an opposing interlockingA relation between said plonge andsaidmembers.

4. In a box constructed of penetrable material, the combination of side members, end members, and a bottom member, reinforcing strips for holding said members in position, and prongs projecting from along the edges of said reinforcing stripsand entering the penetrable material of said members to interlock:v them into a substantiallyrigidunit, the prongsof each member being arranged in opposinggroups, the prongs of. said opposing group beingl arranged to enter in opposite directions in each member to provide an opposing interlocking action between said prongs andsaid members.

5. In a box constructed of penetrable material, the combination of ,side members, end members, and abottom member, reinforcingstrips vbent to embracethe adjoining edges of said side and end members, and prongs along the edge of said strips engaging each member, theprongs at one end along each edge beingdriven in to said lmem,- bers in opposite direction to that of the prongs at the other end to increase the interlocking action of said prongs. t

6. In abox constructed of penetrable material,

`thecombination of side members, endk members, and a bottom member, reinforcingstrips, em'

bracingtmA adjoining edges of said side and end members, said reinforcing strips Y continuing, in-

tegrally across Vtheedge of said` bottom member,l and interlocking v elements on saidw reinforcing.

strips entering each of said members at different angles,

7. In aboxconstructed of penetrablemateriaL the combination lof side members end members, and a bottom member, reinforcing, strips embracing` the `adjoining,edges of said side and endg members, prongs alongthe `edges of said reinforcing strips enteringssaidmembers, and

lips f ormedon said strips to. extend over the upper edges and down against the inside faces of: 'said side' and: end 'members and. having interlocking prongs engaging-said. sidegandend members. s y

8.'.Almeta1lic staple.v inv strip. form, prongs formed alonggitsk edges, saidV` prongs along each edgetbeing formedA into groups, and the tips of theprongs of each group being slightly curved in the same directionrtoeach other butin opposite. direction to the prongs of the other group wherebyrtocause theprongs. of each group to have an angle of entry-in. the direction of their tip .curvaturevwhen driven ,intor position.

9,. Ina box. constructed offpenetrablematerial, the combination. of I side members, endl members, and a,v bottom member, the vertical-ends ofl said side members andthe vertical ends ofrsaid end members being beveled and cooperatingto form mitered4 joints Wherel they-meet at the corners of thebox, the-horizontalA bottomf end of each end member havingi an end faceparallel and adjacent to said bottommemberandforming an unbeveled joint/therewith, reinforcing strips bent aboutsaid mitered corners to engage both the side andthe end members and about the ends of the bottomrmember, said reinforcing strip enclosingl theend Hof thebottommember in face contacting,V relation with the upper and lower facesu thereof, andV prongs ons said reinforcing stripsv engaging` the penetrable f material of said memberswhereby to interlock said membersinto a rigid unit and protect their edges against wear.

10.l The method of forming a reinforcedbox ofl penetrable lmaterial havingside, end and bottom members, theside and vend members having cooperating .beveled ,vertical end` edges and bev-4 eledvertical side edges, respectively, to form mitered-.jointsbetween saidside andsaid end members Where they meet at the cornersvof thebox, which comprisesforming--a reinforcing strip with teeth. along-its-edges, positioning the side and bottommembersrin assembled relation .and driving `thevteeth of saidreinforcing strip along one of itsedges-.into said side members adjacent theirsaidbeveled vertical end` edges, forming saida'einforcingistrip to foldabout the end edges of-said bottom and L driving the `teeth thereof along both-edges-of said.v reinforcingY strip into said-bottom--memberron opposite sides thereof, thereafter'placing said-endmembersin assembled position ,at-thev ends of said sidemembers and said bottom member so that said beveled-side edgesof--said side members for-mmitered corner joints` with-said: beveled end ledges of said side members, thenv bendingl said reinforcingl strip over and-upon` saidJ endl--me'mbers to cover I said mitered cornerjoints,- and. nally driving the prongsfalong `the `edge of ythe bent over.portion of said-reinforcing strip into said-end members.

FRANK W. FREY.- 

